


Due To Delays

by afteriwake



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Airports, Anthea POV, Anthea-centric, Banter, F/F, Hotel Sex, Hotels, Implied Sexual Content, Season/Series 01
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-01
Updated: 2016-02-01
Packaged: 2018-05-17 16:18:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5877415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afteriwake/pseuds/afteriwake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Anthea is left in San Diego after some government meetings and due to delays finds herself waiting to get back to London with the infamous Woman. But when Irene Adler makes an offer to share a hotel room while they wait for their flight out, things don't go <i>quite</i> how she expected them to go.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Due To Delays

**Author's Note:**

> So this is my first entry for Femslash February! I am answering two prompts: the first is from **frostlawyer** at Tumblr who once posted a list of AUs to write, and this is the " _stuck-in-an-airport-because-the-flights-were-SO-VERY-delayed-and-it’s-like-two-am AU_ ," and the second is an overall prompt from **sherlockladylove** on Tumblr that, for the first week, the fic take place outside of London. So please, hope you enjoy!

She knew who the woman was nearby. Oh, there was no way _not_ to know. Not with her image spread far and with across every tabloid magazine in the country, not with the thick file on her that sat on the edge of Mycroft’s desk, occasionally having papers and photographs added to it when she got up to something, not with the website so blatantly and yet so discretely proclaiming what she did. No, there was no way not to know that the woman seated across from her, waiting for the flight back to London, was The Woman.

Interesting, that she was flying commercially.

Oh course, so was _she_ so there was that.

She sighed as she looked at her mobile. Mycroft had managed to get on the private plane with the last of the members of the government team before the unseasonable rain had delayed the flights out of Lindbergh Field. This was San Diego. Wasn’t the weather supposed to be lovely year round? But his superiors had had a hankering for golf at Torrey Pines in between meetings and Mycroft being Mycroft he’d come along to ensure that _some_ business got done.

He just hadn’t expected that the amount of people going _back_ to London would be increased by three, meaning three of the Pas and undersecretaries would be bumped off the private flight. He’d promised to make it up to her, and she knew he would, but neither of them had counted on the storm hitting and raging.

But…perhaps she could gather some information for him, all things considered. That would at least mean _some_ good would come of all this.

She knew The Woman had been eyeing her. They’d been sitting there for nearly three hours now. She could feel her eyes on her every time she glanced up from the phone in her hand. Anthea had learned long ago how to observe without being observed herself, and she could see the appreciation in The Woman’s gaze. She had to know who she was, who she was tied to. There were probably thoughts in her head that she could ply her for information on Mycroft.

No, that would not happen. She would remain tight-lipped.

After a moment The Woman set down her mobile. “Airports are rather dreadful places when you’re stranded,” she said. “I’d prefer a nice hotel room at this rate.”

Anthea tilted her head. “At two in the morning?”

The Woman gave her a smile. “There are many nice hotels here. I got done staying at the Marriot recently. I had a rather…pleasurable time. I’m sure I could get another room there, if I want.” She tilted her head slightly. “As another single woman traveling alone, I’d hate to leave you here at the mercy of anyone who came by. I could get a double bed suite.”

“I suppose it would be all right,” Anthea said. “Though, there should be introductions, perhaps.”

‘My manners have escaped me,” she replied. She held her hands across the aisle. “Irene. Irene Adler.”

“Anthea Donnelly,” she replied, extending her hand to shake Irene’s. Her hands were quite soft but her grip was firm. After a moment she let go. “What about the flight? It’s supposed to leave at eight.”

“I can make sure we’re back by then,” Irene said as she stood up. “And if not, there is always a later flight. Unless you have someone waiting for you at Heathrow? A…significant other, perhaps?”

Anthea shook her head. “No. I don’t have anyone.”

The smile on Irene’s face seemed triumphant, like a predator ensnaring their prey. Anthea decided not to smile back as she had gotten Irene in her own trap. “Pity,” she said. “So. Shall we be off?”

Anthea nodded and stood, gathering her things. They went to collect their baggage and after that was sorted they took it to the front of the airport and then took a cab to the Marriot. Irene went in first and took charge. Anthea had not stayed in this part of the county, staying near the golf course instead, so she took a moment to observe her surroundings. It didn’t take long for them to have a room, and they were given a key and a bellhop was getting their things to take them to the room. She had half expected it to be a one bed bedroom after all but no, there were two beds, just as Irene had said. Their luggage was deposited in the room and after the bellhop was tipped Anthea sat down on one of the beds. “This is nice.”

“I imagine your boss has put you in finer establishments, however. Mycroft Holmes might be a penny pincher, but he at least goes for quality when he can,” Irene said, going for the minibar.

Anthea leaned back on her elbows, looking at Irene. “So you _did_ know who I was.”

Irene nodded. “I make it a point to know who most of the people who pay attention to me are, as well as their underlings, and Mycroft is _quite_ interested in me,” she said, finding a small bottle of wine. She lifted it up and Anthea nodded. “But he’s easy to read. You, on the other hand, are much more interesting. You I can’t quite figure out.”

“That’s rather the point,” Anthea said, a hint of smugness in her voice.

“I rather like a puzzle,” Irene said, finding two cups to pour the wine into. “I would be very interested in trying to solve the puzzle that is Anthea. I imagine that’s not your real name, is it?”

“It’s a code name, from the poem by Robert Herrick,” she said. Irene handed her a cup when she was done pouring the wine into it. She took a sip. It was a subpar wine, really, but what was to be expected from a hotel minibar? “Is Irene really your name?”

“It has been long enough,” she said, taking a sip. She made a face. “Ghastly.”

“Anything stronger?” Anthea asked.

Irene went back to the minibar. “Whisky, vodka…a few other assorted things.”

“Whisky will do,” Anthea said.

“With or without cola?” Irene asked.

“Without,” Anthea said.

Irene got two more cups and then poured them each a decent amount of whiskey. She handed Anthea a cup and then took a sip. “Much more palatable.”

Anthea took a sip as well. “Much.” She looked over at her. “Were you going to try and get state secrets from me?”

Irene shook her head. “No. I’ve heard you’re fiercely loyal to Mycroft and no amount of bribery or anything of the sort can get you to turn from him.”

Anthea eyed Irene speculatively. “Then why have you been eyeing me like a side of meat for the last few hours?” she asked.

“Where is the harm in appreciating an attractive woman?” Irene asked, with a slight shrug. “Especially when everyone else in the vicinity is dull and plain by comparison.” Anthea was surprised by that, and it must have shown on her face because Irene laughed. “Surely you must realize that I have appetites all my own, that are more than just the games I play with my clients.”

“Is that how you look at what you do?” Anthea asked.

“Well, that’s what it is,” Irene said, taking another sip of her drink. “Either a game or a play. Either way, it’s not real. It’s all pretend. But I have my own desires and needs and wants.”

Anthea rarely felt herself warm at a compliment from anyone, male or female, but the look in Irene’s eyes caused the apples of her cheeks to warm just a bit. “I see,” she said, sipping her drink.

“The things I would do to you, if given half a chance,” she said. “Nothing involving dominance and submission, unless you wanted it. Just pleasure. Pure, unadulterated pleasure.”

Anthea slowly lowered her drink. The truth was, she found Irene very attractive. She had spent more time than needed on her website. Her gave had lingered over pictures in the file. And she had wondered, sometimes, just what she would do if she was offered the opportunity to take what Irene offered. She set it on the nightstand and then looked at Irene intently. “I suppose that would be enough reason, perhaps, for a later flight.”

A slow grin spread across Irene’s face as she set her own drink down. She moved over to Anthea, standing in front of her. “This can be just for tonight,” she said, reaching over to touch her face. Her caress was gentle, which was surprising. For a woman so used to being dominating the fact she was gentle surprised Anthea. “Or, if you want, this can be…more than just tonight.”

“Let’s see how tonight goes first,” Anthea said quietly, reaching up for Irene to pull her into a kiss. The kiss was tender, another surprise, and after a moment Irene pressed Anthea back onto the bed. Whatever else happened tonight, she realized, she had the feeling her life was going to be drastically different…and she didn’t mind one bit.


End file.
